Retribution
by Hobbit
Summary: When a Thirteen-year old gets lost in Viridian Forest, what will happen when some rather powerful people find him? Okay, so he gets into a weird place called Rocket-Bane, and a kind of insanity ensues.. What else? R&R!
1. From the woods

I was lost. No two ways about it. As I looked over the forest, its tall trees, their green leaves, the various ferns and other assorted flora, I knew it with all my heart. I could hear the chattering of Sentrets, the mid-afternoon cry of the Hoot-Hoots, and the cries of Pidgeys in the otherwise still air. My heart was beating so loud that I figured that every Pokémon in the vicinity must have been able to hear it. My breathing and the crunch of the underbrush under my feet sounded like someone had cocked a gun and fired it. I was lost, and I was scared.  
  
My family had never been much of adventurers, we liked to stay by our hometown of Viridian City, and we sure did get a lot of tourism in that town, mostly the Pokémon trainers on their way to Indigo Plateau. We own the Pokémon Mart there, so we make a good amount of money. Me? I'm one of the most headstrong people in my family, which is saying something, since our family has a reputation of being stubborn. I'm fourteen, yet I just received my Pokémon trainer's license. Confused? Don't be. I decided to cram in as much school as I could before I left, plus I had to finish my notebook of survival tips.  
  
I liked the outdoors more than most of my family, but after getting lost for about a day in this out branch of the Viridian Forest, I figured that if after got out of the forest, if I never again entered another forest, it would be too soon. I had climbed a tree not that long ago, and, from that vantage point, I had seen a clearing with smoke rising out of it, and I thought that I could see a chimney.  
  
I checked my pockets; they were full of rocks in case any wild Pokémon attacked me. It might just succeed in making them even angrier, but I didn't have anything else to defend myself with, so I made do with rocks, and a thick club that I had pulled off of a tree. I had another club, but it was of dead wood, and, after dark, I figured to make that into a torch, if I hadn't reached the clearing.   
  
Suddenly, I came upon a stone wall, with lichen and ivy growing all over it. I climbed over, and hadn't gone more than a dozen yards when four roars stopped me in my tracks. I recognized the roars as those of Arcanine, and I was scared. I could hear them now, and they were moving slowly, deliberately, as if they were stalking me. Suddenly, in front of me and a little to the right, I heard a door slam, and I figured that I was near some town, and maybe whoever it was could defend me. I heard slow, unhurried footsteps coming in my direction, and then I heard a chilling sound. The sound of a revolver's hammer being cocked back.  
  
I looked at the ground, and saw two Ekans and an Arbok just sitting there a few feet away from me, waiting. I glanced back at the wall, my only way of escape, and saw the vines moving, then I saw them for what they really were...Bellsprouts. I looked around me wildly, and from a little creek that I had seen, a Squirtle and a Wartortle crawled out of the stream towards me. Two Golems pulled themselves out of the ground and confronted me, while three Dugtrios popped up out of the ground directly behind me, and a Sandslash walked around a bend in the creek. Two Machops dropped from a tree about five yards away. I glanced wildly around, looking for an escape route. There were none. Three Arcanines materialized behind me, and the four original Arcanines appeared, two in front and one on either side. Glooms, Oddishes, Bellossoms, and Vlieplumes pulled themselves out of the ground. And I faced them. All of these Pokémon moved to within two yards of me, and I fumbled in my pocket for the kitchen matches, while trying to ward off the Pokémon by waving my sticks around frantically.  
  
Suddenly, a man appeared. He was old. From the one time that I had seen Professor Oak, and from the pictures of Oak, he looked almost five years older than Oak, yet this man seemed to be more fit than Oak. There were a few things that differentiated the two, however. This man had thinning brown hair with barely a hint of gray, his eyes the color of twin embers glaring at you wondering how to kill you, or at least that is how it was then. With his ice blue coat, navy green pants, and yellow shirt beneath the coat, he would look almost comical, if it was not for the twin revolvers in his hands. Both were pointed straight towards me.  
  
He glared at me with an intensity so severe that soon I could not look into his flashing eyes anymore, and so I chose to glance around nervously at the Pokémon surrounding, and my heart sank. A Blastoise, a pair of Charizards, three Venasaurs, two Nidokings, and a Nidoqueen had joined the party. Looking at the branches, I saw ten Pidgeots, fifteen Pidgeottos, five Pidgeys, three Spearows, and five Fearows sitting there, watching me. Looking, I thought very unhappily and nervously, like some kind of flock of scary scavenger birds of prey waiting for some carrion. And by their gaze, it was pretty obvious that they thought that the carrion would soon be me.  
  
The door slammed again, and when I looked up, a young girl, about my age stood there, with a rifle pointed straight at me. She was tall, had long, brown hair that she was wearing long, down her back, and reached midway to her waist. She had one gray eye and one was the color of an emerald. She looked at me curiously, yet cautiously. In her ears, she had two different earrings, one was a Vulpix, and the other was a Growlithe. They may have come in a set, but I wouldn't know. From what she was wearing, I could tell that she was more up on style than me. Me, I just grabbed anything out of the drawer and wore it. She had plain blue jeans that were faded from use, and a T-shirt with an insignia that I had never seen before. Over this, she wore a jean jacket. Behind her trailed a Growlithe, a Sandslash, an Electabuzz, and a Politoed.  
  
The old man studied me for another second, then said, "Drop those sticks, kid, and make sure that I can see your hands at all times." His voice was rough, and wary. I immediately dropped the sticks and jerked my hand out of my pocket. A Poke ball fell out of my pocket. I stared at it dumbly. How did that get there? The old man noticed the Poke ball and stared at me in an expression of harsh suspicion, "Who are you kid, how did you find this place?" He glanced over at the girl, "You're almost a full days walk from Viridian City."  
  
I gulped and glanced down at the Pokeball, then a realization occurred to me, I hadn't checked that pocket very well, I had thought that that had been an item ball, not a Pokeball. That one was empty, I knew. But they didn't and I was getting nervous.  
  
"Tyco Sanders, Please sir, I was just going for a hike, I got lost, ended up wandering all day, and when I climbed a tree, I spotted some smoke and made for it, which happened to be yours, I guess...I couldn't see any sign that anyone else was living around here for miles!" I said, very nervously, glancing from one pistol, to his other revolver, then to the girl's rifle, then furtive glances at all the Pokémon around me.  
  
The girl spoke this time, wary, but not quite so much as her father. "If you were hiking, then how did you get lost? Wouldn't you just stay on the trails? And if you did, it would take a long hike to get here. Besides, where is your compass?" she asked, and she had a quiet voice, and some guys might have fallen in love with her right then and there. Me? No way, I didn't...not just because I was so nervous, but also because I wanted to be a bachelor and never actually had much use for girls.  
  
I looked down at my feet, and firmly willed myself to keep looking at the ground, "Well," I said, "It's a long story. I like hiking where there's no trail, and I keep a compass with me, but I accidentally fell into the river way back there somewhere and lost it. Then, I got out on the wrong side of the river. I started back in what I thought was more or less a straight line back to my house, and, well, now I'm here. Sorry for intruding."  
  
The girl looked me over carefully, not saying anything. The old man did as well, and put one of the revolver in a holster and put the hammer back into place on the other. He glanced behind me at one of the Pokémon. I can't imagine what silent conversation he had with one of them, but then he looked at the girl, who nodded so slightly I'm still not sure to this day if she actually nodded or did something.  
  
He sighed and uncocked his other revolver and took the rifle from the girl. He motioned for me to follow him, and I barely had time to pick up the Pokeball before I felt strong hands lift me up and put me on a Rapidash. I glanced around to see a Machamp, and the Rapidash started off at a brisk trot towards the house. From where I sat, I could see two Nidokings standing guard on either side of the door, three Charizards watching the clearing from the roof, four Venasaurs, and ten Blastoises standing on this side of the lawn alone. Getting off the Rapidash at the door, I glanced around worriedly and hurried through the doors, which shut behind me with a resounding, foreboding clang. 


	2. Into the Caves

Author's Note: Hiya! I know of at least one person that likes, or wants to know the next part of this story! thank you, MinyMistyMystiq for the review...here is the next chapter!  
  
btw...I have 7 parts done, but if you have a suggestion for something that Tyco should do, I'll see if I can add it in! Flames are welcome, as long as you put them in reviews so that it looks like I have more reviews...:p  
  
I'll consider what you flame if you have constructive critiscism...if you don't like something, please don't say, THIS SUCKS! then don't give a suggestion on how to fix it...and, alas, I think it sucks that some people don't write faster...how do we fix this? the All-Powerful REVIEW button!!!  
  
-_^  
  
ON TO THE STORY!!!!  
I whirled around, looking the doors over, and found no knob, no lock, no nothing that I could see but a hand pad in the exact center of the door. On either side of the door stood two Nidorinos, and they were eyeing me warily.  
  
Turning, I found myself in a chamber that looked like the vault to some kind of bank. With heavy steel walls on all sides of me. Glancing around, I found that the only Pokemon in the room besides the Nidorinos in this room was an Abra, and its eyes were open, gazing at me intently.   
  
Suddenoly, it changed its gaze to the old man, and he came forward and took me by the arm. "Young man, I'm sorry that I did that to you, but before I do anything, I have to ask you a question. Since you're a Pokemon Trainer, you have a Pokemon right? What is it?"  
  
I glanced around the room, and saw that the Nidorinos had relaxed. "Well, sir, I just got my License just a few days ago. I'm not joking. If you doubt me, you can have that little Abra over there probe my mind,and you'll see that I'm telling the truth. Well, sir, I've never been a person to leave home much for anything, but I have gone camping several times, and I am well aware how dangerous the Pokemon are. Several times, I've managed to hold off two Beedrills at once, with only a couple of long, thick sticks. I bought a few pokeballs and came into this here forest with the intentions of finding some Pokemon as I came. So far I haven't found any that I would want, that is to say, I've found Kakunas and Beedrills, Metapods and Butterfrees, and Raticates and Pidgeottos, but I've always wanted to raise one from its first stage, and so I haven't caught one, and I would like to catch one so that I can catch others and teach that no good Team Rocket a lesson!" I was almost to the levelof shouting when I stopped, I looked at the girl, and she was just staring. Then a grin slowly spread across her face, I glanced back at the old man and he was frowning at me.  
  
"And just what," he began in a tone that said that he disapproved, "do you propose to do about them? Yes, they are a problem to the society, a burr under the saddle, or a thorn in the side if you will, but what would YOU do if you had to do this all by yourself? An all out attack?" he snorted, his tone rising, and his eyes flashed, "Son, listen to me, I've known men to throw themselves in the dragons face, so to speak, trying to defeat Team Rocket! They all have been killed, tortured, captured and have never been seen again, unless they've escaped! And some of the stories that I've heard would make you want to go to another planet and become a hermit just to be rid of Team Rocket!" he looked down his nose at me, and it was my turn to be angry.  
  
"Sir!" I said, barely able to keep a cover on my temper, my adrenalin racing though my veins as if it were a Rapidash, "I respectfully say that I wouldn't go flying into the Dragon's face as you put it! I would use guerrilla warfare! And If I got caught, then so be it as long as I take more of them down with me! I've heard about Team Rocket's atrocities! I know how Ash Ketchum, Misty Waterflower, and Brock Slate went up against them right outside of Viridian! I was there! And somewhere, I don't know where, they're out there! Not captured by Team Rocket I know that much! That Pikachu's of Ash Ketchum's, that was the only thing that kept all three of them from capture!" I said, feeling my face start to grow hot, "What TV cameras and reporters never knew, what nobody knew besides me, Team Rocket, and those hardy souls know, is that Pikachu and Brock Slate kept Team Rocket at bay, Brock actually fighting the Pokémon himself, so that Misty could get Ash away! I also know that Gary Oak's dissapearance is not a coincidence! He pulled all three, four including Pikachu out of a very sticky situation! The only thing that kept them from capture, however, was those Team Rocket Members, Jessie, James, and Meowth! They made their bumbling way into the battle, disrupted it accidentally, and that let this Brock fellow and Pikachu get away! And I will do whatever I can do find Gary, Ash, Misty and Brock, and bring them back and defeat Team Rocket, I mean if I only have my two fists, I'll get in there and get them back! And I'll whack whoever is in charge of Team Rocket with my own two fists, and I'll get there, even if I lose my arms and legs, and have to wriggle across red hot coals for thirty miles!" I stopped and took a breath, waiting for what was to come. I was taking an awful chance, for these people might just be Team Rocket, or, if they weren't, they might just let me go home. I was not prepared for what happened next.  
  
The girl stepped forward, shoved me out of the way and put her hand on the handpad. Suddenly it glowed, and she turned it to to the left at ninety degrees, and suddenly, I felt my stomach come up to my throat. We were going down, and fast. My heart sank. I had fallen in with Team Rocket, and now I was going to be a prisoner, and I'd never be able to see Kanto free.  
  
The old man came forward, and he said, with a twinkle in his eyes, and a big old open mouthed grin, "That is exactly what I wanted to hear, but forget doing it with just your fists, if you accept my offer, then you'll have part of an army to command!" with that, he made a grand, sweeping motion towards the doors, and I noticed that the descent had stopped. I turned and looked through the doors.   
  
Through the door, I could see a huge cavern, it had to be about a mile high, and about three miles high. Hundreds of Ampharos stood in the cavern, flashing out as much light as they could, and three other Ampharos standing next to each them. Golems, Clefaries, Clefables, Wigglytuffs, Geodudes, Gravellers, Sandslash's, Diglett's, and many other cave, ground and rock type Pokemon hurried about. And despite the cavern's size, it was filled with Pokemon. Some of the other types that were running about were the Nido families, a few Pikachus, one or two Raichus, and there, in the center of it all-I rubbed my eyes to see if I was dreaming. But no...what I saw was really there. Sitting on a raised platform in the perfectly circular cavern, stood Mew, with Suicine, Entei, and Raikou. Four Pokemon said to only exist in legend, but now standing here in front of me, in the flesh! My jaws dropped, I turned to the old man, my eyes wide open and my jaw hanging straight down.  
  
The Professor was walking slowly towards the door, and chuckled, saying in a low tone, "Welcome, Tyco Sanders, to the land of the free. To the Halls of The Tribes." 


	3. Into the Culture

"Sorry about running off like that," Erin apologized as she exited a tall building, "I just had to talk to my grandfather."  
  
I smiled, "That's okay, I understand. Now can we go, so I can get my first Pokémon, now?"  
  
Erin laughed, showing all her teeth, "Of course! It's this way!"  
  
It never ceased to amaze me how well she knew the city, and she led me quickly down to a large building that looked to be made out of marble, and was crafted finely in the shape of a Chansey rising straight out of the ground. "This is it," Erin said, and pointed me towards a door in one of the feet, which I entered. I shook my head, wondering how they found the time to carve everything just so.  
  
As I entered, I noticed that I was in a chamber with a TON doors, each with a symbol of a different element on it. Ering turned to me, "So.which type do you want? The fighting type is over there," she pointed at a door, "The Ground type is-"  
  
But I was already moving towards the door. Throwing it open, I stepped through, "So what kinds of Pokemon do they-" I stopped as I looked around, awestruck at the sheer number of Pokémon around me. I was in the Rocket- Bane breeding center, and everywhere I looked, Pokémon were pleading with me to take them with me. I turned slowly, taking everything in, then spotted one that I really wanted-Machops.  
  
There were ten of them in the same enclosure, and I walked over to it and made my way inside, and man, even though they were really young, were they ever strong! I had to make a conscious effort to stay up, they were all pushing me every which way, and I made my way over to one that was sitting alone in a corner and picked it up. It was the runt of the litter, I could tell that, but as I picked it up, it seemed to enjoy being near me, and cuddled into my chest. I turned towards Erin, and said, "I want this one. It may not be strong now, but it will be later."  
  
Erin grinned at me with a mischievous look on her face. She wasn't telling me something. I knew that. What she was hiding I couldn't tell, but still...that expression...there had to be something special about this one. I didn't have to wait long to find out what, because as we were walking out she couldn't hold it in any longer, "That one is actually the smallest and youngest of them all, but it's also the strongest." I looked at the Machop in surprise, the runt of the litter being the strongest? It was amazing. "You want to get a Cheeseburger?"  
  
I glanced at her, "Anything that is digestible that resembles food sounds good right now.but I don't have any money."  
  
Erin smiled, and I noticed then that she had very green eyes, "Oh, we don't use money down here." I heaved a sigh of relief, "We have to do hard labor to pay for whatever we get."  
  
I looked at her, "Please tell me you're joking."  
  
"Actually, it isn't that bad," after I got three cheeseburgers, two things of fries, and three cups of pop. "At least I get to eat first."  
  
Erin smiled, and looked down at her lone cheeseburger, pop, and fries, "So why are you so hungry? You were only lost for what, half a day?"  
  
"Hey!" I said, "I didn't have lunch! Plus I'm a growing boy!"  
  
Erin looked up at me, "Well, you're sure growing OUT!" I looked down at my plate, and noticed that a cheeseburger and a packet of French fries were missing. I looked up at her, but she looked like she was stifling a grin, "Wasn't me!" she blurted out, trying not to laugh, I could tell."  
  
I turned around to ask someone, I don't know who, if they had taken it, and I saw a French fry escaping into Machop's mouth, even as he froze in place. "Well," Erin said, "He DOES have to eat."  
  
I shook my head, "So, where am I gonna stay tonight? Is there a hotel or something?"  
  
"Nah, we've got a spare apartment for you." Erin said, and I turned around.  
  
"As in TV, kitchen, laundry room." the grin on her face answered my question. "Wow." I said, stunned, and leaned back in my chair. But because I was turned in my chair, I fell backwards between the table and the back of my chair. The last thing I saw was Machop laughing before I blacked out. "Stupid idiot," I remember thinking.  
  
When I opened my eyes next, I was lying on a soft bed, though I wasn't under the covers, and had plenty of pillows under me. I was home. Then I saw the canopy over me, and then the girl that came into my vision. "AAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!" I screamed as I sat up, and our heads connected, so I went back down to the pillows. "Ow! You have a hard head!"  
  
"Yours is harder!" the girl informed me. What was her name? "You were out for a while there!"  
  
I rubbed my forehead, "What, from hitting your head, or from hitting the ground in the.burger place. Where is that anyway? At least I got out of that hard labor."  
  
"Wanna bet?" The girl asked, grinning, "you've got a week to pay off the burger place. It's called Rocket-Bane's Burger Joint. Not much of a name, though." Erin. Her name was Erin. I'm an idiot!  
  
"Great." I groaned, and closed my eyes, then my eyes shot open, "Wait! This is my apartment?"  
  
Erin laughed, "No, it is NOT. This is my bedroom."  
  
Immediately I got off the bed. "Uh.I have this thing about being in girl's rooms. I don't. Can I see my place?"  
  
Erin grinned, trying, I think not to laugh at me. "All right, let's go. You should probably pay off the burger joint soon too."  
  
I groaned, "I better do that now. Want to help?"  
  
Erin grinned. "I already paid mine off." I groaned again. "But I could always get some extra food there afterwards."  
  
Okay, I don't see why she said a LITTLE extra food! She had as much as I had! True, she did feed her Pokemon too, but still! Anyways, she showed me my place, and went home. I dropped right into bed. Okay, so Machop kicked me out and I had to sleep on the couch.  
  
The next day, I went to the Pokemon Exercise Center, and then looked around. My Machop knew where to go, and strode across the entry lounge to a door, opened, it, took a left, then the first right, then into a gym. There was only one person in the gym, but there were many Mankeys, Primeapes, Mahops, Machokes, Machamps, Hitmonlees, Tyrogues, Hitmontops, and Hitmonchans.  
  
The Machop waited patiently by my side as I looked around, and, after taking it all in, I strode towards the Trainer that was obviously in charge like I had done this my entire life. He turned and saw me walking towards him and said, "Ah, I see that you have brought the little master back. He is actually one of the most powerful Machops that I have ever seen though he is the smallest. Now, if he will just take his place..."  
  
I suddenly had an idea, and said, "No." He had already half turned away from me, and I saw him stiffen. His muscles bulged from the cut-off T-shirt and I could see that he was just a little peeved. Obviously, he was used to getting his own way most of the time.  
  
He walked closer to me and asked, "What do you mean, 'no?' Do you wish to battle me? If so, then bring it on. He is hopelessly outclassed by the various Machamps that you can see training here." He was standing at his full height and glared down at me down his nose.  
  
I smiled easily, knowing that he could easily beat me to a pulp. "What I mean is, Choppy here won't join in the training until you agree to train me as well." I fixed him with a cool gaze. I'm not sure if I wanted to get in shape, wanted to be a pain in the neck, or was simply stupid now, because I sure wouldn't say that now.I know better. I vote on the latter, though.  
  
Well, I didn't know that a grown man could whine and complain that much. He kept going on about the differences in Pokémon and human anatomy, how this had never been done before, how it was different for him since he had started when he was younger than me, and finally back to the good old, "it's not fair," and "I don't want to." I simply responded that if he didn't train me, I would spread the word that his brother was in jail, I knew this from gossip that I had heard from people around Rocket-Bane. "My brother is a warden!" he shouted at me. I told him that I wouldn't tell that part.  
  
That got him, since he had had a sterling reputation and didn't want that botched. "All right," he growled, "But I don't have to like it. Your Machop will have to help you catch up with the class. Get over there, in the corner, and there's a book over there and you'll have to learn from it. I'll be over in a bit, just let me get the Pokemon going again."  
  
Walking over to the corner, I found a pedestal much like what the Code of Rocket-bane Book had been on, and began reading. It was fascinating, the history of martial arts, but I made a mental note to come back sometime just to read it, then I quickly flipped to the pages that the trainer must have been referring to...the pages telling a person how to use martial arts.  
  
The Trainer came over to me after an hour and growled, "All right, Sanders, My name is Lieutenant Colonel Thompson, but most people call me Muscles. You can call me Colonel Thompson. Now, I trust that you read that book carefully?" I nodded, and he grinned maliciously. I began regretting my choice, "All right then, let's get going!" Whenever he trained me, he pushed me to my limit, and I think sometimes just bit over it.  
  
"It's awful!" I complained to Erin that night, since we had agreed to meet at a burger place, "He pushed me harder than he has any right to! You'd think I was in boot camp or something!"  
  
Erin giggled, "Well, you are, in a way. He was in the army, besting Lieutenant Surge many times over during World War Twelve, and he had to go through a grueling boot camp, so he's probably taking you through a rough version of it. Though from what you said you rubbed him the wrong way, and he will probably hold a grudge against you for a while, which means he will push you HARD!"  
  
Groaning, I remembered some of the humiliating comments he had shouted at me, and the crowd that had gathered at the door, laughing at me, the dumb trainer that wanted to be strong as a Pokémon. "No?" I muttered, holding my aching sides where Thompson had punched me in a practice fight, "Ya think? I better get home and rest...so I can get some practice with Machop in later before I go to practice tomorrow."  
  
Erin smiled softly, and said, "All right then, but I assume that you won't want that hamburger because of its high fat content then?"  
  
She reached out as if to grab the burger, but I slapped her hand away, "hands off!" I moaned, feeling my aching arm muscles start crying out again, even more tired out than I could have possibly thought them, "I've worked off too much unwanted flab already today, and I need to earn some back." Erin laughed and waved as I left, inhaling the hamburger as I jogged back home, trying to ignore the pain shooting through my legs. As soon as I got back to the small apartment carved out of the cave's outer limits that had been assigned to me, I went straight to the bed and fell asleep.  
  
I was wakened early the next morning by Machop shaking me-well, that wasn't true.I hadn't slept at all, in fact, I was so sore. Machop pointed to the table, where it had fixed breakfast already. Sliding out of bed, I thought how wonderful it was to have a humanoid Pokemon so that it could fix dinner easily with human appliances.  
  
I started staggering towards the table, but Machop suddenly blocked my way. Glaring down at him, I moved to my left, but he blocked me. Annoyed, since I wanted my breakfast, I moved to my right, but he blocked me yet again! Looking at him, I saw that he had a smirk on his face, and knew that the only way I was getting past him was if I fought him. Groaning, I took a swipe at him, but he merely stepped back and gave me a good one in the stomach. That got me wide-awake, but also really mad. Machop barely knew what was going on when suddenly a hail of shouts and punches drove him backwards, and finally into the kitchen, where he started fighting back. I didn't care but just kept fighting and fighting, until I had reached the kitchen table, then we both stopped, and I could finally eat. I couldn't believe how sore I still was.  
  
After a week of training, even old Lieutenant Colonel "Muscles" Thompson agreed, grudgingly that I was doing better than he had been at my age. "I don't understand it," he complained to me one day, "How can you know a move that only a Pokémon knows? Well, except for me, of course, I know it too."  
  
He must have been referring to my learning Mega Kick. Well, I just paid attention when he trained the Pokémon class. That, and my Machop showed me how to do it. Those practice battles with the Machop were really great! I was actually slowly getting better. But I knew that I would always be weaker than him. Oh, and another thing, the nickname "Choppy" stuck, even though I didn't mean it to be a nickname that first day in class.  
  
"So, General Surge, then he started boasting about how he was being trained with the Pokemon, and how he was going to be so great beating up Team Rocket." Erin finished a month later in her report to the council.  
  
"A little, cocky bugger," Surge muttered, "No matter, Thompson will put him in his place."  
  
"Oh do come on, Surge, please. For the last month we've all listened to you harangue on how dangerous this kid is, and yet Erin doesn't find anything wrong with him!" Erika countered, stroking her Bulbasaur absent-mindedly.  
  
Blaine cut in before an argument could blossom, "Well, then, since we are obviously divided, why don't we put Surge's original suggestion before him. We put him in a possible death situation."  
  
Sabrina stretched her lanky body and smiled at Blaine, "Blaine, do come, please! We all know the Rocket-Bane code by law, and you know that we cannot do this unless he has proven himself guilty." She looked over at Blaine, then down at the Abra on her lap. "We are all that remains of Kanto's once glorious gym hierarchy. And each of us sit here with a baby of our chosen type, so how can we simply snuff out this boy's life? Erika wants no test, and Surge wants a possible death. So I propose this. We find the weakest litter-mate of Sander's Machop, then send those two into battle against each other."  
  
Surge snorted, "I don't see what good two Machops duking it out would do."  
  
Erika smiled playfully, "Surge, DO come on! She means that the weakest Machop and Tyco battle it out."  
  
"Since when are you on a first name basis with the Sanders kid?" Surge demanded, beginning an argument on Tyco Sanders once again.  
  
Erin was sitting in the corner, her eyes filling with tears. Tyco wasn't that kind of kid, and now he was going to be in Intensive Care for a while. And it was all her fault. She had brought him here. She had insisted on springing the trap that had brought him there.  
  
A month later, my muscles were finally beginning to show, and I grinned as old "Muscles" Thompson came over to me, smirking. I thought that I was pretty much able to easily handle whatever Muscles threw at me. "Sanders!" he yelled, "I've got an assignment for you!"  
  
I sighed, "The name is Tyco, okay? And you always have an assignment for me when you storm over here yelling my last name at me."  
  
Muscles grinned, and I began to feel uneasy. "Today, you battle a Machop. See how good you really are, since you obviously think you're a Pokemon, learning Mega Kick. Don't worry, it only knows Karate Chop and Low Kick."  
  
Groaning, I pulled myself to the training mat, and noticed that there was a hush around the room. Then a young Machop that had just come in began snickering, and I shot it a withering glance. Well, I've never seen a Pokemon shut up faster in my life. Settling into a fighting stance, I looked at my opponent. It looked, well, like a Machop.  
  
Then the battle had begun, and I was dodging Karate Chops and Low Kicks left and right. I managed to get a few Mega Kicks in, before Muscles called out, "Machop, Agility!"  
  
I had just finished a Mega Kick, and ducked a Karate Chop, then, before I could react, a Low Kick sent me sprawling. I had a brief glimpse of the Machop coming for me, and I rolled to one side, and the Karate Chop missed me by inches. Then I rolled back over my head as a Low Kick that was intended for my stomach hit the ground where I had been an instant before. I was spinning around for a Mega Kick when a Low Kick hit me in my back, and I rolled forward, using the momentum to my advantage. I looked up and saw the Machop waiting for me to get up, and, as I reached the end of one of my rolls, I threw myself against its stomach, with both feet, trying to execute a double Mega Kick.  
  
The Machop staggered back, its face twisted in pain. I jumped to my feet, fists at the ready. Growling to itself under its breath it came at me, and tried another Low Kick, but I grabbed its leg and flipped it over onto its back. The arena shuddered under the impact, and the Machop got up breathing hard. Come to think of it, I was breathing hard as well, and I was hurting too.  
  
It was time to pull out my ace card. I spun around, just as if I were going to spin-kick the Machop, but instead I came down hard on my left leg, twisting my ankle, and Gave it a quick Mega Punch to the head. The Machop staggered back, and I limped forward and Gave it another Mega Punch, then performed a poorly executed Mega Kick with my left foot. It staggered back and I pushed myself forward and grabbed it bythe shoulders, but it banged its head against mine.  
  
Stars exploded in front of my eyes, and I staggered back. The Machop smiled and came in with a Low Kick, but I grabbed the leg once more and flipped it over onto its back, giving it a Mega Punch on its way down. The shudder was even more pronounced this time, and my left leg gave way, sending me sprawling towards the floor, but Choppy caught me just before I hit the ground.  
  
There was utter silence from the room, except for the occasional Pokemon muttering in amazement. Then, from the doorway, came a clap, then several, then I heard over the intercom, "Nice work, Mr. Sanders," I recognized it as the voice of Professor Shale.  
  
Shale took his hand off the intercom switch, but did not turn around to face the council. Instead, he kept looking at the large screen that towered over the council. "Do I need to remind you, Surge, that you thought that Sanders would fail? When the Rockets breathe down our necks, you'll rue all this testing."  
  
"Knock it off, Shale," Surge growled, "We need to be sure that this boy is one hundred percent for us."  
  
Erika shook her head, "Surge, for pity's sake, we have had enough proof. But we need a unanimous vote so that he can join the Rocket-Bane army. You and Blaine are the only two holding out on us."  
  
Blaine frowned, "We still need assurances, Erika. Let him complete these gyms. And I will consider changing my mind."  
  
Shale sighed and shook his head, "All right, Blaine, all right. But just remember what I said about the Rockets breathing down our backs."  
  
I looked over at the door and was amazed to see no less than two dozen people, some in the doorway, some in the gym itself, clapping at me and staring at me in awe. And there in the very front of them stood Erin, no, not standing, running towards me. I thought that she was crying. "This is all my fault, I'm sorry, Tyco, I didn't do enough to stop them." She said, crying into my hair, and I blushed.  
  
"Erin, what are you talking about? That was the biggest adrenaline rush of my life! Of course, I'll have to spend a few days in the hospital, but who cares?" I got up unsteadily to my feet, then collapsed into Erin's arms.  
  
She only smiled and said softly, "Someday, I'll be able to tell you, but right now, I need to ask you to forgive me, for doing this to you."  
  
My vision began to blur, "Huh?" I asked to the three Erins, "You didn't beat me up, but I forgive you for whatever you did to me."  
  
Erin heaved a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Tyco, this means more to me than you can possibly know."  
  
"Right," I muttered, draping my arms around her neck, hoping that the loose grip I could keep on my hands would keep me from falling after I fainted from exhaustion.and the concussion. 


	4. Through a Test

I looked around, awestruck, at the Pokemon around me. I was in the breeding center, and everywhere I looked, Pokemon were pleading with me to take them with me. I turned slowly, taking everything in, then spotted one that I really wanted. Machops.   
  
There were ten of them in the same enclosure, and I walked over to it and made my way inside, and man, were they ever strong, even at that early age! I had to make a conscious effort to stay up, they were all pushing me every which way, and I made my way over to one that was sitting alone in a corner and picked it up. It was the runt of the litter, I could tell that, but as I picked it up, it seemed to enjoy being near me, and cuddled into my chest. I turned towards Erin, and said, "I want this one. It may not be strong now, but it will be later."  
  
Erin grinned at me with a mischevious look on her face. She wasn't telling me something. I knew that. What she was hiding I couldn't tell, but still...that expression...there had to be something special about this one. I didn't have to wait long to find out what, because as we were walking out she couldn't hold it in any longer, "That one is actually the smallest and youngest of them all, but it's also the strongest." I looked at the Machop in surprise, the runt of the litter being the strongest? It was amazing.  
  
The next day, I went to the Training center, then looked around. My Machop knew where to go, and strode across the entry lounge to a door, opened, it, took a left, then the first right, then into a gym. There was only one person in the gym, but there were many Mankeys, Primeapes, Mahops, Machokes, Machamps, Hitmonlees, Tyrogues, Hitmontops, and Hitmonchans.   
  
The Machop waited patiently by my side as I looked around, then I strode towards the Trainer, obviously in charge. He turned and saw me walking towards him and said, "Ah, I see that you have brought the little master back. He is actually one of the most powerful Machops that I have ever seen though he is the smallest. Now, if he will just take his place..."   
  
I suddenly had an idea, and said, "No." He had already half turned away from me, and I saw him stiffen. His fists clenched, and his muscles bulged from the cut-off T-shirt and I could see that he was just a little peeved. Obviously, he was used to getting his own way most of the time.  
  
He turned back and walked right up to me and asked, "What do you mean, 'no?' Do you wish to battle me? If so, then bring it on. He is hopelessly outclassed by the various Machamps that you can see training here." He was standing at his full height and glared at me down his nose.  
  
I smiled easily, knowing that he could easily beat me to a pulp. "What I mean is, Choppy here won't join in the training until you agree to train me as well." I fixed him with a cool gaze.  
  
Well, I didn't know that a grown man could whine and complain that much. He kept going on about the differences in Pokemon and human anatomy, how this had never been done before, how it was different for him since he had started when he was younger than me, and finally back to the good old, "it's not fair," and "I don't want to." I simply responded that if he didn't train me, I would spread the word that his brother was in jail, I knew this from gossip that I had heard from people around Rocket-Bane. "My brother is a warden!" he shouted at me. I told him that I wouldn't tell that part.  
  
That got him, since he had had a sterling reputation and didn't want that botched. "All right," he growled, "But I don't have to like it. Your Machop will have to help you catch up with the class. Get over there, in the corner, and there's a book over there and you'll have to learn from it. I'll be over in a bit, just let me get the Pokemon going again."  
  
Walking over to the corner, I found a pedestal much like what the Code of Rocketbane Book had been on, and began reading. It was fascinating, the history of martial arts, but I made a mental note to come back sometime just to read it, then I quickly flipped to the pages that the trainer must have been referring to...the pages telling a person how to use martial arts.  
  
The Trainer came over to me and growled, "All right, Sanders, My name is Lieutenant Colonel Thompson, but most people call me Muscles. You can call me Colonel Thompson." Now, I trust that you read that carefully?" I nodded, and he grinned malicously. I began regretting my choice, "All right, then, let's get going!" Whenever he trained me, he pushed me to my limit, and I think sometimes just bit over it.   
  
"It's awful!" I complained to Erin that night, since we had agreed to meet at a burger place, "He pushed me harder than he has any right to! You'd think I was in boot camp or something!"  
  
Erin giggled, "Well, you are, in a way. He was in the army, besting Lieutenant Surge many times over, during World War Four, and he had to go through a grueling boot camp, so he's probably taking you through a rough version of it. Though from what you said you rubbed him the wrong way, and he will probably hold a grudge against you for a while, which means he will push you HARD!"  
  
Groaning, I remembered some of the humiliating comments he had shouted at me, and the crowd that had gathered at the door, laughing at me, the dumb trainer that wanted to be strong as a Pokemon. "No?" I muttered, holding my aching sides where Thompson had punched me in a practice fight, "Ya think? I better get home and rest...so I can get some practice with Machop in later before I go to practice tomorrow."  
  
Erin smiled softly, and said, "All right then, but I assume that you won't want that hamburger because of its high fat content then?"   
  
She reached out as if to grab the burger, but I slapped her hand away, "hands off!" I moaned, feeling my aching arm muscles start crying out again, even more tired out than I could have possibly thought them, "I've worked off too much unwanted flab already today, and I need to earn some back." Erin laughed and waved as I left. As soon as I got back to the small apartment carved out of the cave's outer limits that had been assigned to me, I went straight to the bed and fell asleep."  
  
I was wakened early the next morning by Machop shaking me, well, I hadn't slept at all, I was so sore. Machop pointed to the table, where it had fixed breakfast already. Sliding out of bed, I thought how wonderful it was to have a humanoid Pokemon so that it could fix dinner easily with human appliances.  
  
I started staggering towards tha table, but Machop suddenly blocked my way. Glaring down at him, I moved to my left, but he blocked me. Annoyed, since I wanted my breakfast, I moved to my right, but he blocked me yet again! Looking at him, I saw that he had a smirk on his face, and knew that the only way I was getting past him was if I fought him. Groaning, I took a swipe at him, but he merely stepped back and gave me a good one in the stomach. That got me wide awake, but also really mad. Machop barely knew what was going on when suddenly a hail of shouts and punches drove him backwards, and finally into the kitchen, where he started fighting back. I didn't care but just kept fighting and fighting, until I had reached the kitchen tabel, then we both stopped, and I could finally eat. I couldn't believe how sore I still was  
  
After a week of training, even old Lieutenant Colonel "Muscles" Thompson agreed, grudgingly that I was doing better than he had been at my age. "I don't understand it. How can you know a move that only a Pokemon knows? Well, except for me, of course, I know it too."  
  
He must have been referring to my learning Mega Kick. Well, I just paid attention when he trained the Pokemon class, that, and my Machop showed me how to do it. Those practice battles with the Machop were really great! I was actually slowly getting better. But I knew that I would always be weaker than him. Oh, and another thing, the nickname "Choppy" stuck, even though I didn't mean it to be a nickname that first day in class.  
  
A month later, Old Muscles shouted at me when I came in, "Sanders! I have an assignment for you now! You've wanted to see how good you really are?" he smirked, and I began to feel uncomfortable, "I've got a match all lined up for you..." he pointed over to the fighting mat, and I wondered what he meant.   
  
"Are you joking?" I asked, startled at seeing a small but lively Machop waiting for me.  
  
Muscles' smirk grew wider, "Nope, but then I knew that you wouldn't have the guts to face it. This is it. You do this now, and you hve the choice of staying in, or you don't do it, and I never want to see you in here again looking for another lesson.  
  
Swallowing, I cautiously moved to the mat, and looked the Machop over carefully. If I guessed correctly, it would only know be powerful enough to use Low Kick and Karate Chop. Advancing warily, I threw a punch at the Machop to see how it would react. Muscles smiked and shouted in a clear voice, "Machop, Agility!"  
  
I barely had time to throw myself backwards and roll before the Machop was moving. It came in with a Karate Chop, but I kicked its hand out of alignment, and its hand hit the concrete floor with a loud crack. It looked at its hand, as if expecting something to be wrong with it, but I knew that the noise was a crack opening up in the floor. While it was busy, I decided to pull my trump card, since Colonel Thompson had already shown his. Luckily for me, the Agility move only increased the Machop's attacking speed, not its thinking speed. While it was still pondering its hand, I darted in and landed a Mega Punch directly on its neck pressure spot. it froze for a brief instant, which I used to back away quickly, and it wheeled around, executing a Low Kick in the process. I jumped over the leg, then jumped again as the kick came again. Suddenly there was another kick, one htat came straight backwards towards me, and I had no time to htink, only to act. I grabbed the leg and shoved it upward. The Machop's momentum carried it off-balance and it fell over backwards. I decided to take advantage of this, and executed a Mega Kick.. It had been getting up, but it went back down iwth a thud.  
  
Gasping for breath, I wiped off my forehead, which was covered in sweat by now, and watched as the Machop staggered to its feet. I let out a bellow and waded in with a Mega Punch. Well, my punch staggered the Machop, actually, it turned out to be the weakest of the litter that Choppy was from, so it wasn't that young, and back pedaled for a few feet, as much to get away from me as anything else, then it came at me, and executed a Low Kick, which was blocked easily by me by grabbing the outstretched foot and flipping it up onto its back.  
  
The arena shuddered under the impact, and I fell to the ground as well, but pulled myself up. The Machop got up wearily now, and looked for its opening. I was pretty tired myself, but I decided to try something, and ran at it, and, at the last possible second, jumped into the air and snapped off a kick. I didn't have as much altitude as I would have liked, so it hit it in its chest, and I went crashing to the floor. It staggered back again, but this time I pressed my advantage, and used two Mega Punches, and it slid to the floor, unconscious.  
  
I staggered, then started to fall to the floor, but Choppy was there, and grabbed me before I fell completely. There was utter silence from the room, except for the occasional Pokemon mutterring in amazement. Then, from the doorway, came a clap, then several, then I heard over the intercom, "Nice work, Mr. Sanders," I recognized it as the voice of Professor Shale.  
  
Professor Shale turned from the intercom, and leaned back in his chair, "I need not remind you, gentlemen, and lady," he commented idly to a group of twelve men and a woman behind him, which comprised the council of Rocket-Bane, the supreme authority on everything that happened in the gigantic cavern, "That you were skeptical about this boy joining our ranks. When you heard the demand he had placed on Colonel Thompson, you said that he would quit in the first day, then the first two weeks, then the first month." Slowly, he got up and stretched, "This young man is ready to fight to the death for our cause, and I say that we shouldn't waste the oppurtunity. to recruit him for the army. I need not remind YOU that I told him that the council would have to make the final call on his joining the army or specforces. Is this not the final shred of proof that you need of his power? And what about his loyalty? Has not the Tester and Mew already verified this?"  
  
"Shale," began a haggard man, "Please, I beg you, cease your tirade, for we have listened to you and grown weary of them. More tests must we ask of him. We must trust his honesty, and we must test his sense of loyalty. I have heard that he is going to the Psychic gym next, and he will not pass either the test or the gym. And if he does, he will have the test of morals and willpower, as Mew has informed us of his plan to go to the Grass Gym next."  
  
Shale rubbed his eyes and reached for the coffee maker, "Someday, when Team Rocket is breathing down our necks, you will rue all this testing that you make the candidates go through!" he murmured fiercely, "We will not have enough Pokemon trained hard enough, nor trainers to face them, and thus the final battle for the world will be lost." Shale wheeled around and, drinking the last of his coffee, tossed the plastic cup into a recycling bin.  
  
I looked over at the door and was amazed to see no less than two dozen people, some in the doorway, some in the gym itself, clapping at me and staring at me in awe. And there in the very front of them stood Erin, no, not standing, running towards me. She grabbed me from Choppy and hugged me. Me? I was so exhausted I didn't really realize what was happening until later, and whenever that came up again, I was always embarrassed. Anyway, the best that I could do at the time was to put my arms around her to sort of hug her back, but really just hoping that when she let me go, my hands would hold together at her neck and I wouldn't go sliding to the floor. 


End file.
